Circular visual representation of media content

ABSTRACT

According to one implementation, a system for visualizing media content includes a computing platform including a hardware processor and a system memory, storing a content visualization software code. The hardware processor is configured to execute the content visualization software code to receive a media file, parse the media file to identify a primary content and metadata describing the primary content, and analyze the metadata to determine representative features of the primary content. The hardware processor further executes the content visualization software code to generate a circular visual representation of the primary content based on the metadata and the representative features, the circular visual representation having a non-linear correspondence to at least one of the representative features. The circular visual representation includes a central circle having a central radius, and multiple, at least semicircular segments, each having a respective radius greater than the central radius.

BACKGROUND

The increased efficiency with which digital forms of media content canbe stored, copied, and distributed has resulted in ever more mediacontent being produced and made available to users. As a result, theefficiency with which media content can be reviewed, evaluated, andmanaged has become increasingly important to producers of media content,media students and academics, and consumers of media content. Forexample, new alternatives to conventional time consuming approaches toperforming media content analysis, such as storyline analysis performedthrough the study of written text, may advantageously reduce the timespent in media content evaluation.

Although techniques for evaluating a particular item of media contentusing storyline visualization have been developed, those techniques arelargely limited to analysis of a single feature of a storyline, such asa single character or setting of the media content storyline. As aresult, although conventional storyline visualization techniques can beused to analyze a single feature of a storyline, or may be appliediteratively to analyze multiple features within a single storyline, theyare typically unsuitable for comparing multiple items of media content,each presenting its own complex storyline.

SUMMARY

There are provided systems and methods for visualizing media content,substantially as shown in and/or described in connection with at leastone of the figures, and as set forth more completely in the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a diagram of an exemplary system for visualizing mediacontent, according to one implementation;

FIG. 2 shows an exemplary system and a computer-readable non-transitorymedium including instructions enabling execution of a method forvisualizing media content, according to one implementation;

FIG. 3 shows a flowchart presenting an exemplary method for visualizingmedia content, according to one implementation;

FIG. 4 shows an exemplary circular visual representation of mediacontent, according to one implementation; and

FIG. 5 shows an exemplary visualization of a dramatic character includedin media content, according to one implementation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following description contains specific information pertaining toimplementations in the present disclosure. One skilled in the art willrecognize that the present disclosure may be implemented in a mannerdifferent from that specifically discussed herein. The drawings in thepresent application and their accompanying detailed description aredirected to merely exemplary implementations. Unless noted otherwise,like or corresponding elements among the figures may be indicated bylike or corresponding reference numerals. Moreover, the drawings andillustrations in the present application are generally not to scale, andare not intended to correspond to actual relative dimensions.

As stated above, the efficiency with which media content can bereviewed, evaluated, and managed has become increasingly important toproducers of media content, media students and academics, and consumersof media content. For example, new alternatives to conventional timeconsuming approaches to performing media content analysis, such asstoryline analysis performed through the study of written text, mayadvantageously reduce the time spent in media content evaluation.

As further stated above, although techniques for evaluating a particularitem of media content using storyline visualization have been developed,those techniques are largely limited to analysis of a single feature ofa storyline, such as a single character or setting of the media contentstoryline. As a result, although conventional storyline visualizationtechniques can be used to analyze a single feature of a storyline, ormay be applied iteratively to analyze multiple features within a singlestoryline, they are typically unsuitable for comparing multiple items ofmedia content, each presenting its own complex storyline.

The present application discloses a media content visualization solutionthat addresses and overcomes the deficiencies in the conventional art bysubstantially optimizing the process of evaluating and comparing complexmedia content storylines. As is further described below, by generating acircular visual representation of primary media content (hereinafter“primary content”) contained in a media file based on representativefeatures of the primary content and metadata describing the primarycontent, the present application discloses a solution thatadvantageously classifies, and renders visually recognizable, theoverall emotional tone of the primary content.

In addition, by enabling a user to interact with a circular visualrepresentation of primary content through selection of a narrativesetting or dramatic character included in the primary content, thepresent solution provides a powerful tool for exploration and evaluationof the primary content by the user. Moreover, by presenting the circularvisual representation of the primary content so as to have a non-linearcorrespondence to at least one of the representative features of theprimary content, the present application discloses a solution thatadvantageously enables a user to evaluate and compare media content fromdifferent perspectives, such as temporal or spatial perspectives, forexample.

By way of example, some of the representative features of a primarycontent storyline may correspond to various temporal flows within thestory. More specifically, a distinction can be drawn between “narrativetime” and “story time” within a particular story line. As defined in thepresent application, narrative time is linear with respect to theadvancement of the storyline. For instance where a storyline includesone hundred (100) scenes presented in order from 1-100, the narrativetime of the story corresponds to advancement from scene 1 to scene 100sequentially. However, many storylines include scenes that are so calledflashbacks and address events in the past with respect to the storylinepresent. In addition, many storylines include dream sequence scenes orother dramatic contrivances for addressing events in the future withrespect to the storyline present. As defined in the present application,those past and future events with respect to the story line presentdefine a temporal flow that is linear with story time, i.e., past eventsprecede present events and present events preceded future events instory time.

According to various implementations of the present inventiveprinciples, narrative time and story time are both typicallyrepresentative features of a particular primary content. The circularvisual representation of the primary content generated by the systemsand according to the methods disclosed in the present application maypresent some representative features as concentric circles orsemicircles for which advancement in a clockwise (or counter-clockwise)direction is linear with respect to narrative time for example. In thoseimplementations, and where the storyline includes flashbacks oraddresses future events, the circular visual representation will belinear with respect to narrative time, but non-linear with respect tostory time.

It is noted that, conversely, in some implementations in whichadvancement in a clockwise or counter-clockwise direction along circlesor semicircles of the circular visual representation is linear withrespect to story time, the circular visual representation may benon-linear with respect to narrative time. It is further noted that insome implementations, the circular visual representation may have anon-linear correspondence to representative features other than temporalfeatures, such as spatial features, for example.

FIG. 1 shows a diagram of one exemplary implementation of a system forvisualizing media content. As shown in FIG. 1, system 100 includescomputing platform 102 having hardware processor 104, and system memory106 implemented as a non-transitory storage device storing contentvisualization software code 110. As further shown in FIG. 1, system 100is implemented within a use environment including communication network130, client system 140 including display 142, and user 150 utilizingclient system 140. Also shown in FIG. 1 are network communication links132 interactively connecting client system 140 and system 100 viacommunication network 130, media file 112 including primary content 114and metadata 116, and circular visual representation 120 of primarycontent 114, generated using content visualization software code 110.

It is noted that although FIG. 1 depicts content visualization softwarecode 110 as being stored in its entirety in memory 106, thatrepresentation is merely provided as an aid to conceptual clarity. Moregenerally, system 100 may include one or more computing platforms 102,such as computer servers for example, which may be co-located, or mayform an interactively linked but distributed system, such as a cloudbased system, for instance. As a result, hardware processor 104 andsystem memory 106 may correspond to distributed processor and memoryresources within system 100. Thus, it is to be understood that thevarious software modules included in content visualization software code110 may be stored and/or executed using the distributed memory and/orprocessor resources of system 100.

According to the implementation shown by FIG. 1, user 150 may utilizeclient system 140 to interact with system 100 over communication network130. In one such implementation, system 100 may correspond to one ormore web servers, accessible over a packet network such as the Internet,for example. Alternatively, system 100 may correspond to one or morecomputer servers supporting a local area network (LAN), or included inanother type of limited distribution network.

Although client system 140 is shown as a personal computer (PC) in FIG.1, that representation is also provided merely as an example. In otherimplementations, client system 140 may be any other suitable mobile orstationary computing device or system. For example, in otherimplementations, client system 140 may take the form of a laptopcomputer, tablet computer, digital media player, gaming console, orsmartphone, for example. User 150 may utilize client system 140 tointeract with system 100 to use content visualization software code 110,executed by hardware processor 104, to generate circular visualrepresentation 120 of primary content 114 included in media file 112.

It is noted that, in various implementations, circular visualrepresentation 120, when generated using content visualization softwarecode 110, may be stored in system memory 106 and/or may be copied tonon-volatile storage (not shown in FIG. 1). Alternatively, or inaddition, and as shown in FIG. 1, in some implementations, circularvisual representation 120 may be sent to client system 140 includingdisplay 142, for example by being transferred via network communicationlinks 132 of communication network 130. It is further noted that display142 may take the form of a liquid crystal display (LCD), alight-emitting diode (LED) display, an organic light-emitting diode(OLED) display, or another suitable display screen that performs aphysical transformation of signals to light.

FIG. 2 shows exemplary system 240 and computer-readable non-transitorymedium 260 including instructions enabling execution of a method forvisualizing media content, according to one implementation. System 240includes computer 248 having hardware processor 244 and system memory246, interactively linked to display 242. Display 242 may take the formof an LCD, LED display, OLED display, or another suitable display screenthat performs a physical transformation of signals to light. System 240including display 242 and computer 248 having hardware processor 244 andsystem memory 246 corresponds in general to client system 140 includingdisplay 142, in FIG. 1.

Also shown in FIG. 2 is computer-readable non-transitory medium 260having content visualization software code 210 stored thereon. Theexpression “computer-readable non-transitory medium,” as used in thepresent application, refers to any medium, excluding a carrier wave orother transitory signal, that provides instructions to hardwareprocessor 244 of computer 248. Thus, a computer-readable non-transitorymedium may correspond to various types of media, such as volatile mediaand non-volatile media, for example. Volatile media may include dynamicmemory, such as dynamic random access memory (dynamic RAM), whilenon-volatile memory may include optical, magnetic, or electrostaticstorage devices. Common forms of computer-readable non-transitory mediainclude, for example, optical discs, RAM, programmable read-only memory(PROM), erasable PROM (EPROM), and FLASH memory.

According to the implementation shown in FIG. 2, computer-readablenon-transitory medium 260 provides content visualization software code210 for execution by hardware processor 244 of computer 248. Contentvisualization software code 210 corresponds in general to contentvisualization software code 110, in FIG. 1, and is capable of performingall of the operations attributed to that corresponding feature by thepresent disclosure. In other words, in implementations in which hardwareprocessor 244 of system 140/240 accesses computer-readablenon-transitory medium 260 and executes content visualization softwarecode 210, system 140/240 may perform any of the actions attributed tosystem 100 by the present disclosure.

The functionality of content visualization software code 110/210 will befurther described by reference to FIG. 3 in combination with FIGS. 1, 2,4, and 5. FIG. 3 shows flowchart 370 presenting an exemplary method foruse by a system, such as system 100/140/240, for visualizing mediacontent. FIG. 4 shows exemplary circular visual representation 420 ofprimary content 114 included in media file 112, according to oneimplementation, while FIG. 5 shows exemplary visualization 590 of adramatic character included in primary content 114, according to oneimplementation.

Referring now to FIG. 3 in combination with FIGS. 1 and 2, flowchart 370begins with receiving media file 112 (action 372). By way of example,user 150 may utilize client system 140 to interact with system 100 inorder to generate circular visual representation 120 of primary contentcontained in media file 112. As shown by FIG. 1, in one implementation,user 150 may do so by transmitting media file 112 from client system 140to system 100 via communication network 130 and network communicationlinks 132. Alternatively, media file 112 may be received from a thirdparty source of media content, or may reside as a stored media file insystem memory 106/246. Media file 112 may be received by contentvisualization software code 110/210, executed by hardware processor104/244.

Flowchart 370 continues with parsing media file 112 to identify primarycontent 114 of media file 112 and metadata 116 describing primarycontent 114 (action 374). Primary content 114 may be any type of contenthaving a predetermined order for its presentation that includes one ormore non-linearities with respect to temporal flow or with respect tospatial aspects of primary content 114. Thus, media file 112 may includeprimary content 114 in the form of one of a movie script, a play script,a digital book, poetry, one or more episodes of a television series,animation, or a game, to name merely a few examples. In addition, mediafile 112 may include metadata 116 describing primary content 114.

For example, in implementations in which primary content 114 is a moviescript, metadata 116 describing primary content 114 may identifydramatic characters, interactions among dramatic character's, and/ornarrative setting included in the movie script. Parsing of media file112 to identify primary content 114 and metadata 116 may be performed bycontent visualization software code 110/210, executed by hardwareprocessor 104/244.

Flowchart 370 continues with analyzing metadata 116 to determinerepresentative features of primary content 114 (action 376). Examples ofsuch representative features may include narrative time, story time,narrative settings, the inclusion of dramatic characters in variousnarrative settings, the prominence of dramatic characters with respectto the storyline, interactions among dramatic characters, and theemotional state or mood of dramatic characters, to name a few. Analysisof metadata 116 and determination of representative features of primarycontent 114 may be performed by content visualization software code110/210, executed by hardware processor 104/244.

Flowchart 370 continues with generating circular visual representation120 of primary content 114 based on metadata 116 and the representativefeatures of primary content 114 determined in action 376 (action 378).Generation of circular visual representation 120 of primary content 114based on metadata 116 and the representative features of primary content114 may be performed by content visualization software code 110/210,executed by hardware processor 104/244.

Referring to FIG. 4, FIG. 4 shows exemplary circular visualrepresentation 420 of primary content 114 included in media file 112,according to one implementation. It is noted that circular visualrepresentation 420 corresponds in general to circular visualrepresentation 120, in FIG. 1. Consequently, both of circular visualrepresentations 120 and 420, in respective FIGS. 1 and 4, may share anyof the characteristics attributed to either feature in the presentapplication.

As shown in FIG. 4, circular visual representation 120/420 includescentral circle 422 having central radius 424, and multiple at leastsemicircular segments 482 a, 482 b, 482 c, 482 d, 482 e, 482 f, 482 g,482 h, 482 i, 482 j, 482 k, and 482 l (hereinafter “at leastsemicircular segments 482 a-482 l”), which may be concentric withcentral circle 422. In addition, and as further shown by exemplary radii484 g and 484 j of respective at least semicircular segments 482 g and482 j, each of at least semicircular segments 482 a-482 l has arespective radius greater than central radius 424.

According to the exemplary implementation shown in FIG. 4, centralcircle 422 includes visual cue 426 corresponding to an overall emotionaltone of primary content 114. Visual cue 426 may be a representativecolor or pattern filling, or partially filling, central circle, forexample. As a specific example, where visual cue 426 is a color, thecolor may range through shades of green corresponding to positive,optimistic, and happy emotional states, yellow corresponding to moreneutral emotions, and red corresponding to negative, sad, and/or angryemotions.

Moreover, according to the exemplary implementation shown in FIG. 4, oneof at least semicircular segments 482 a-482 l (i.e., 482 a) is fullcircle or ring 482 a adjoining central circle 422. As shown in FIG. 4,ring 482 a includes visual cues, represented by exemplary visual cue 486a, corresponding respectively to narrative settings 488 a included inprimary content 114. In addition to full circle or ring 482 acorresponding to narrative settings within primary content 114, each ofat least semicircular segments 482 b-482 l corresponds respectively to adramatic character of primary content 114 and includes visual cuesexemplified by visual cues 486 b and 486 c on respective at leastsemicircular segments 482 b and 482 c.

It is noted that, as discussed above by reference to visual cue 426 ofcentral circle 422, visual cues included on any of at least semicircularsegments 482 a-482 l, such as exemplary visual cues 486 a, 486 b, and486 c, may be shown as distinctive colors or patterns. It is furthernoted that the colors or patterns of visual cues shown on at leastsemicircular segments 482 b-482 l corresponding respectively to dramaticcharacters may be representative of their respective emotions when theyappear in the narrative setting bisected by the same radial line.

For example, dramatic character 482 b (Anna) is shown to experience apositive emotional state by green visual cue 486 b when Anna is in thenarrative setting corresponding to the point of ring 482 a bisected byradial line 484 g. By contrast, dramatic character 482 c (Vronsky) isshown to experience a neutral emotional state by yellow visual cue 486 cwhen Vronsky is in the same narrative setting. It is also noted that theabsence of patterning, color, or another visual cue along portions of atleast semicircular segments 482 b-482 l indicates that the respectivecharacter corresponding to the at least semicircular segment does notappear in the narrative setting bisected by the same radial line.

According to the exemplary implementation shown in FIG. 4, a clockwiseadvancement along at least semicircular segments 482 a-482 l is linearwith respect to the narrative time of primary content 114. For example,at least semicircular segments 482 b and 482 c correspondingrespectively to dramatic characters Anna and Vronsky begin with theirrespective first appearances in a narrative setting of primary content114 and end with their final appearance in such a setting. Thus, it isapparent from circular visual representation 420 that Vronsky isintroduced later in narrative time than Anna, and makes his finalappearance earlier in narrative time that Anna's final appearance.

As discussed above, narrative time and story time are both typicallyrepresentative features of primary content 114. However, any flashbackscenes or future looking scenes included in primary content 114 aredepicted by circular visual representation 420 as being out of orderwith respect to the chronology of story time. Consequently, according tothe exemplary implementation shown in FIG. 4, a clockwise advancementalong at least semicircular segments 482 a-482 l is non-linear withrespect to advancement of the story time of primary content 114. That isto say, circular visual representation 120/420 has a non-linearcorrespondence to at least one of the representative features of primarycontent 114, i.e., the story time of primary content 114.

In some implementations, the exemplary method outlined in flowchart 370may further include rendering circular visual representation 120/420 ofprimary content 114 for display to system user 150. For example,circular visual representation 120/420 may be rendered for display tosystem user 150 on display 142/242 of system 140/240. Rendering ofcircular visual representation 120/420 may be performed by contentvisualization software code 110/210, executed by hardware processor104/244.

Moreover, in some implementations, circular visual representation120/420 of primary content 114 may be interactive, thereby enablingsystem user 150 to navigate through and selectively explore portions ofprimary content 114. In those implementations, hardware processor104/244 may execute content visualization software code 110/210 toreceive an input from system user 150 for selecting one of at leastsemicircular segments 482 a-482 l. Moreover, in an exemplaryimplementation in which system 100/140/240 receives an input from systemuser 150 for selecting one of at least semicircular segment 482 b-482 lcorresponding to a dramatic character of primary content 114, hardwareprocessor 104/244 may further execute content visualization softwarecode 110/210 to generate a visualization corresponding to the dramaticcharacter.

Referring to FIG. 5, FIG. 5 shows exemplary visualization 590 of thedramatic character Anna included in primary content 114 of media file112 and corresponding to at least semicircular segment 482 b, in FIG. 4,according to one implementation. As shown in FIG. 5, visualization 590of Anna includes avatar 592 of Anna encircled by ring 594 includingvisual cues exemplified by visual cues 596 a, 596 b, and 596 c. Suchvisual cues may be shown as colors or patterns, for example, and maycorrespond to changes in an emotional state of Anna during advancementof one of the narrative time and the story time of primary content 114.Analogous visualizations may be generated for any dramatic charactercorresponding respectively to one of at least semicircular segment 482b-482 l.

As noted above, where visual cues such as 596 a, 596 b, and 596 c areshown as colors, those colors may range through shades of greencorresponding to positive, optimistic, and happy emotional states,yellow corresponding to more neutral emotions, and red corresponding tonegative, sad, and/or angry emotions. As a result, exemplaryvisualization 590 displays the temporal evolution of Anna's emotionalstate during the advancement of one of the narrative time and the storytime of primary content 114.

Thus, the present application discloses a media content visualizationsolution that substantially optimizes the process of evaluating andcomparing complex media content storylines. By generating a circularvisual representation of primary content contained in a media file basedon representative features of the primary content and metadata containedin the media file, the present application discloses a solution thatadvantageously classifies, and renders visually recognizable, theoverall emotional tone of the primary content. By further enabling auser to interact with the circular visual representation throughselection of a narrative setting or dramatic character included in theprimary content, the present solution provides a powerful tool forexploration and evaluation of the primary content by the user. Moreover,by presenting the circular visual representation of the primary contentso as to have a non-linear correspondence to at least one of therepresentative features of the primary content, the present applicationdiscloses a solution that advantageously enables a user to evaluate andcompare primary content storylines from different perspectives.

From the above description it is manifest that various techniques can beused for implementing the concepts described in the present applicationwithout departing from the scope of those concepts. Moreover, while theconcepts have been described with specific reference to certainimplementations, a person of ordinary skill in the art would recognizethat changes can be made in form and detail without departing from thescope of those concepts. As such, the described implementations are tobe considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive. Itshould also be understood that the present application is not limited tothe particular implementations described herein, but manyrearrangements, modifications, and substitutions are possible withoutdeparting from the scope of the present disclosure.

What is claimed is:
 1. A system for visualizing a media content, thesystem comprising: a computing platform including a hardware processorand a system memory; a content visualization software code stored in thesystem memory; the hardware processor configured to execute the contentvisualization software code to: receive a media content having a storyand metadata describing the media content; analyze the metadata todetermine representative features of the media content, wherein therepresentative features include an overall emotional tone of the mediacontent; and generate a circular visual representation of the mediacontent based on the metadata and the representative features, thecircular visual representation including a central circle surrounded bya ring, the ring having a ring radius and being concentric with aplurality of concentric semicircular segments each having a respectiveradius greater than the ring radius; wherein the central circle includesa visual cue corresponding to the overall emotional tone of the mediacontent; wherein the ring is a full circle and each of the plurality ofconcentric semicircular segments is a partial circle, wherein the ringincludes visual cues each corresponding to one of a plurality ofnarrative settings within the story; wherein each of the plurality ofconcentric semicircular segments is directed to a different one of aplurality of characters in the story; wherein a first semicircularsegment of the plurality of concentric semicircular segments is directedto a first character of the plurality of characters in the story and hasa first radius greater than the ring radius, wherein an absence of avisual cue along a portion of the first semicircular segment indicatesthat the first character does not appear in a first narrative setting ofthe plurality of narrative settings where the first narrative setting isbisected by a radial line.
 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the mediacontent is one of a movie script, a play script, a digital book, poetry,one or more episodes of a television series, animation, or a game. 3.The system of claim 1, wherein the hardware processor is furtherconfigured to execute the content visualization software code to renderthe circular visual representation of the media content for display to asystem user.
 4. The system of claim 3, wherein the hardware processor isfurther configured to execute the content visualization software code toreceive an input from the system user for selecting one of the pluralityof concentric semicircular segments.
 5. The system of claim 1, whereinthe hardware processor is further configured to execute the contentvisualization software code to generate a visualization corresponding toone of the plurality of characters in response to an input received froma system user for selecting the one of the plurality of characters. 6.The system of claim 5, wherein the visualization of the one of theplurality of characters selected by the system user includes an avatarof the one of the plurality of characters encircled by a character ringincluding visual cues corresponding to changes in an emotional state ofthe one of the plurality of characters during the advancement of thenarrative time.
 7. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the pluralityof concentric semicircular segments includes a plurality of visual cuesof character emotions.
 8. The system of claim 1, wherein the pluralityof narrative settings include geographic locations.
 9. The system ofclaim 1, wherein each of the plurality of concentric semicircularsegments begins with a first appearance of each respective one of theplurality of characters in the story and ends with a last appearance ofeach respective one of the plurality of characters in the story, andwherein each of the plurality of concentric semicircular segmentsadvances linearly with respect to a narrative time of the story.
 10. Thesystem of claim 9, wherein the story includes at least one flashbackscene or future looking scene that is out of order with respect to achronology of a story time, and wherein advancement along at least oneof the plurality of concentric semicircular segments is non-linear withrespect to advancement of the story time.
 11. A method for use by asystem including a computing platform having a hardware processor and asystem memory storing a content visualization software code, the methodcomprising: receiving, using the hardware processor, a media contenthaving a story and metadata describing the media content; analyzing,using the hardware processor, the metadata to determine representativefeatures of the media content, wherein the representative featuresinclude an overall emotional tone of the media content; and generating,using the hardware processor, a circular visual representation of themedia content based on the metadata and the representative features, thecircular visual representation including a central circle surrounded bya ring, the ring having a ring radius and being concentric with aplurality of concentric semicircular segments each having a respectiveradius greater than the ring radius; wherein the central circle includesa visual cue corresponding to the overall emotional tone of the mediacontent; wherein the ring is a full circle and each of the plurality ofconcentric semicircular segments is a partial circle, wherein the ringincludes visual cues each corresponding to one of a plurality ofnarrative settings within the story; wherein each of the plurality ofconcentric semicircular segments is directed to a different one of aplurality of characters in the story; wherein a first semicircularsegment of the plurality of concentric semicircular segments is directedto a first character of the plurality of characters in the story and hasa first radius greater than the ring radius, wherein an absence of avisual cue along a portion of the first semicircular segment indicatesthat the first character does not appear in a first narrative setting ofthe plurality of narrative settings where the first narrative setting isbisected by a radial line.
 12. The method of claim 11, wherein the mediacontent is one of a movie script, a play script, a digital book, poetry,one or more episodes of a television series, animation, or a game. 13.The method of claim 11, further comprising rendering, using the hardwareprocessor, the circular visual representation of the media content fordisplay to a system user.
 14. The method of claim 13, further comprisingreceiving, using the hardware processor, an input from the system userfor selecting one of the plurality of concentric semicircular segments.15. The method of claim 11, further comprising generating, using thehardware processor, a visualization of one of the plurality ofcharacters in response to an input from a system user for selecting theone of the plurality of characters.
 16. The method of claim 15, whereinthe visualization of the one of the plurality of characters selected bythe system user includes an avatar of the one of the plurality ofcharacters encircled by a character ring including visual cuescorresponding to changes in an emotional state of the one of theplurality of characters during the advancement of the narrative time.17. The method of claim 11, wherein each of the plurality of concentricsemicircular segments includes a plurality of visual cues of characteremotions.
 18. The method of claim 11, wherein the plurality of narrativesettings include geographic locations.
 19. The method of claim 11,wherein each of the plurality of concentric semicircular segments beginswith a first appearance of each respective one of the plurality ofcharacters in the story and ends with a last appearance of eachrespective one of the plurality of characters in the story, and whereineach of the plurality of concentric semicircular segments advanceslinearly with respect to a narrative time of the story.
 20. The methodof claim 19, wherein the story includes at least one flashback scene orfuture looking scene that is out of order with respect to a chronologyof a story time, and wherein advancement along at least one of theplurality of concentric semicircular segments is non-linear with respectto advancement of the story time.
 21. A system for visualizing a mediacontent, the system comprising: a computing platform including ahardware processor and a system memory; a content visualization softwarecode stored in the system memory; the hardware processor configured toexecute the content visualization software code to: receive a mediacontent having a story and metadata describing the media content;analyze the metadata to determine representative features of the mediacontent, wherein the representative features include an overallemotional tone of the media content; and generate a circular visualrepresentation of the media content based on the metadata and therepresentative features, the circular visual representation including acentral circle surrounded by a ring, the ring having a ring radius andbeing concentric with at least one concentric semicircular segmenthaving a radius greater than the ring radius; wherein the central circleincludes a visual cue corresponding to the overall emotional tone of themedia content; wherein the ring is a full circle and the at least oneconcentric semicircular segment is a partial circle, wherein the ringincludes visual cues each corresponding to one of a plurality ofnarrative settings within the story; wherein the at least one concentricsemicircular segment is directed to a character in the story; wherein afirst semicircular segment of the at least one concentric semicircularsegment is directed to the character in the story and has a first radiusgreater than the ring radius, wherein an absence of a visual cue along aportion of the first semicircular segment indicates that the characterdoes not appear in a first narrative setting of the plurality ofnarrative settings where the first narrative setting is bisected by aradial line.